States

A controversial NSW criminal court case which ruled that a teacher who had sex with a 17-year-old student was not guilty of a criminal offence has revealed a bizarre loophole in the Crimes Act that the NSW Government is scrambling to plug.

2017: The year of registration change: Is it time for national reform?

With just over a week to go until the curtain falls on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Royal Commission), schools around Australia will likely remember 2017 as the year of child protection debate – marked by public criticism of organisations including schools, for their handling of allegations of child abuse […]

QLD schools must have detailed Complaints Handling Program by 2018

Queensland non-State schools have seen significant changes to their accreditation requirements in 2017. The new Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Act 2017 (the Act) and Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Regulation 2017 (the Regulation) take effect on 1 January 2018 and non-state schools must be conscious of their new obligations. Crucially, the new Regulation 7 […]

Clubs and associations for children – do they comply with child protection laws and principles?

Recently in the news, an Opera Australia singer was charged with historic child sex offences in NSW and a Scouts leader was charged with serious child sex offences in QLD. These incidents occurred in organisations with responsibilities to ensure the safety of the young people who participate in singing and Scouts activities. Like our previous article on ADF Cadets nationally, these […]

Education and Care Services National Law changes commence

On 1 October 2017, changes to the Education and Care Services National Law (National Law) and Regulations (National Regulations) came into effect. The amendments were made after federal and state and territory Education Ministers agreed to changes to the National Quality Standard (NQS) at the last Council of Australian Governments (COAG). These changes are intended to strengthen […]

What to do if your school receives a historical sexual abuse report?

It takes immense courage and strength for survivors of historical child abuse to come forward and discuss the behaviours to which they were subjected. Sometimes survivors of historical child abuse make claims against the institutions where they suffered the abuse – such as schools and religious organisations. With the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to […]

A New School Year – A New Approach to Discipline?

At the start of a new school year schools may be confronted by students who have forgotten school rules and remain in ‘holiday mode’. While detentions, suspensions and expulsions are all necessary by-products of students’ misbehaviour, imposing a discipline policy is often a source of angst for all involved and affected. Common across all jurisdictions is the need for procedural fairness in the imposition of a form of discipline and the importance of encouraging positive student behaviour.

2017: The year of registration change: Is it time for national reform?

With just over a week to go until the curtain falls on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Royal Commission), schools around Australia will likely remember 2017 as the year of child protection debate – marked by public criticism of organisations including schools, for their handling of allegations of child abuse […]

New laws on bullying: Schools under increased pressure to do more

Even if you subscribe to the controversial school of thought that bullying is an ‘inevitable’ interaction, that it is ‘part of growing up’ and ‘builds character’, it is uncontested that being bullied, particularly at a young age, can have very serious consequences for a child’s wellbeing, development and overall mental health. It is hence little […]

South Australia’s revolutionary approach to child abuse and forced marriage

As reported in the news, a Melbourne man is set to be the first person convicted under Federal forced marriage laws despite the practice being criminalised in 2013. Because the laws make it extremely difficult to get a conviction (as they generally rely on victims testifying), South Australia has taken an unprecedented step of introducing a […]

2017: The year of registration change: Is it time for national reform?

With just over a week to go until the curtain falls on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Royal Commission), schools around Australia will likely remember 2017 as the year of child protection debate – marked by public criticism of organisations including schools, for their handling of allegations of child abuse […]

‘Stronger Communities, Safer Children’ – Do your students consider that your boarding community is a safe place?

This is National Child Protection Week – ‘Stronger Communities, Safer Children’. This week, NAPCAN want to emphasise the value of connected communities in keeping children and young people safe and well. This article examines the role of boarding schools as a ‘community’ and how boarding schools are legally required to create child safe environments in those communities, […]

Prior to the conclusion of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Royal Commission) in December 2017, November was a flurry of regulatory activity in the Australian Capital Territory, with various changes to the Territory’s child protection system proposed and introduced. As other jurisdictions prepare themselves for responding to the Royal Commission’s Final Report, and the extent to which they will be taking the final recommendations into account, the ACT is under the spotlight as we consider the effectiveness of its attempts to pioneer reforms and expand its child protection system.

2017: The year of registration change: Is it time for national reform?

With just over a week to go until the curtain falls on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Royal Commission), schools around Australia will likely remember 2017 as the year of child protection debate – marked by public criticism of organisations including schools, for their handling of allegations of child abuse […]

2017: The year of registration change: Is it time for national reform?

With just over a week to go until the curtain falls on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Royal Commission), schools around Australia will likely remember 2017 as the year of child protection debate – marked by public criticism of organisations including schools, for their handling of allegations of child abuse […]

Systemic failures in child protection and youth justice: NT Royal Commission releases its final report

With less than a month to go until the final report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Royal Commission), the Northern Territory has given us a teaser of what could be expected from the Royal Commission’s Recommendations. On 17 November, the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children […]

Teachers and alcohol abuse: lessons from NZ

A New Zealand teacher has been suspended for two years after being caught smelling of alcohol at school. Although the incident occurred across the Tasman, the lessons from this case are definitely a helpful reminder for Australian schools and teachers. Mr C and the Teacher Disciplinary Tribunal Mr C was suspended for misconduct after a […]

New Zealand develops new national Code and Standards for Teachers: Is Australia next?

The Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (the Council) is calling for submissions on a draft Code of Professional Responsibility and Standards for the Teaching Profession, entitled ‘Our Code, Our Standards,’ which is intended to reflect what it means to “be a teacher” in New Zealand. The new Code and Standards are to be implemented and […]